Steam condenser



Sept. 7 11926. 1,598,649

J. F. KIRGAN STEAM CONDENSER Filed August 14 1925 llllllllllllIII|I|III-' I INVENTOR. rIoJa 121'? K3 1' 7J2, BY H/S ATT'NEY Patented Se t 1 26. 1,598,649- UNlT ED STATES" PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN F. KIRGAN, OE PHILLIPSBURG, NEW JERSEY, A SSIGNOZR TO ItNGERSOLL-RAND COMPANY, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

STEAM CONDENSER.

Application filed August 14, 1985. Serial 1T0. 50,18l.

This invention relates to surface condensstood by reference to the "drawings form- 55 ers, butmore particularly to that type of ing part ofthe' specification and in which surface condenser comprising surface 0001- similar reference characters refer to similar ing tubes extending longitudinally through parts.

a chamber across the path of the steam flow. Figure 1 is an end view partly in section It is an object of this invention to disof a condenser, portions being broken away, 60 tribute the steam longitudinally along the Figure 2 is a side view with portions length of the condenser in quantities probroken away of a part of a condenser with portionate' to the steam condensing capacity the devaporizer removed,

of the various vertical sections. In condens- I Figure 3 is a front view of a throttle ers in which the cooling tubes extend lonplate at the outlet for air and uncondensable 5 gitudinal of the condenser, vertical sections gases, and along the length of the tubes vary in their Figure 4 is a cross sectional View of the steam condensing capacity since the cooling throttle plate along the line 44 of Figure water is supplied to the tubes atone end 3 looking in the direction of the arrows.-

of the condenser and discharged at the-other In the drawing, A represents the casing end resulting in unequal temperatures along. of a condenser having a steam inlet at B, the length of the tubes since the water raises an outlet C for condensate, and an outlet in temperature upon absorbing heat from D for airand uncondensable gases leading 20 th Steam progressively f th inl t to to a devaporizer E of approved design.

the discharge ends. The cooler end con- Within the casing A, a plurality of steam sequently has greater steam condensing cacondensing tubes F are arranged transverse pacity and the warmer end less steam conto the p h, of the steam entering at the densing capacity, the vertical sections thereinlet B, "Cooling Water is adapted to pass between having decreasing. steam condensthrough the tubes F from an inlet (not.

ing capacity as they approach the warm shown) andvto be discharged into a head G.

end. Unless special provision is made as In operation, the temperature of th tubes for instance disclosedin application Serial F increases along the length of the tubes No. 743,695 of Paul A. Bancel, filed Octoin the direction of the discharge head G 3 her 15, 1924, steam will not penetrate the which creates a condition of greater steam banks of tubes at the cool end as deeply condensing'capacity at the cooler ends of as at the warmend, being more quickly conthe tubes than at the warmer end. The condensed upon coming in contact with the denser thus'constructed may be said to have tub s. By this invention it is proposed to varying steam condensin capacity in verdivide the condenser vertically into a plutical transverse sections'a ong the'lengt'h of rality of compartments substantially sealed the tubes. As a result of this condition, the from each other at the bottom of the contendency of steam entering at the inlet B denser and at least part way to the upper is to penetrate more deeply in warm r ecbank of tubes to prevent steam from pass- .tions nearer the discharge head G than at 40 i g between compartments longitudinall the cooler sections more remote therefrom along the tubes. In the various sections di since 'moreflste'am is condensed per unit of ferent degrees of vacuum are maintained at area of tube surface at the cooler portions of the bottom of the condenser so as to draw the tubes than at the warmer surfaces.

steam to equal depths of penetration. Thisv In order to counteract the tendency of is accomplished by throttling the air out-, steam to pene'trate'less deeply in the, cooler lets and it is accordingly a further object sections, means is provided to divide the in- 10 of this invention to conveniently throttle the terior of the shell A into compartments in exitforair'and uncondensable gases so that which the degree of vacuum varies correif desired, a single vacuum ump may be spondingly with the varying specific steam employed to maintain suitab e vacuums in '.condens1ng capacity by which is meant the the various vertical sections of the condenscapacity per unit of tube area. It will be er to produce equal depth of steam penc seen that if a greater vacuum is maintained tration along the Ian; not the condenser; in the cooler compartments than in the The invention will be more clearly underwarmer compartments, the tendency of the steam is to penetrate in the cooler sections more deeply than would normally be the case if the same degree of vacuum were maintained in allof the compartments. The ideal condition sought is to maintainsuch a degree of vacuum within each compartment so that the steam entering at the inlet B will penetrate to an equal depth between the tubes F throughout the length of the condenser.

To this endthe condenser is divided into compartments by means of partitions H which may be the usual tube support sheets sealed at the bottom and at the sides near the bottom insuitable grooves J to prevent leakage of steam from one compartment to another. The condenser is provided with two devaporizers E arran ed for attachment to suitable flanges K cast integrally with the shell A. In the embodiment lllustrated there are three partitions H provided to divide the interior of the casing A into four compartments, that at the end nearest the discharge. head G having the least specific steam condensing capacity and the other three compartments being of progressively increasing capacity toward the colder end of the condenser.

The fingers K and the supporting ribs L form a chamber 0 for accommodating water supplied to the devaporizer E and an air and vapor inlet P. The lower opening Q formed by the flanges K is adapted to form an inlet from the chamber P to the devaporizer E for the accommodation of air and uncondensable gases and an outlet from the devaporizer E to permit condensate to flow back through a trap R and throu h the air inlet D into the bottom of the con enser shell A and thence to the condensate outlet (1- A suitable vacuum is produced by a vacuum pump (not shown attached to the air outlet S of the devaporizer E.

Each devaporizer E- is arranged to serve two compartments formed by the partitions H and to this end one of the partitions H extends through the air outlet D to a wall T interposed between the devaporizer E and the air outlet D. The wall T extends downwardly into the trap R to prevent air from passing under the wall directly to the devaporizer. The wall T is provided with throttle plat-es shown in detail in Fi 'res 3 and 4 which are adapted to restrict t e flow or escape of air from the compartments with in the condenser to the devaporizer E. The amount of restriction of air rovided by the throttle plates is determine, b the difference of the degreeof vacuum esired in the various compartments. The warmer compartments will therefore be provided with greater restriction to the flow of air since asomewhat greater vacuum is required in tnelcosler compartments to draw more steam the cooler portions of the condensed The' wall T is provided with a plurality-of apertures U into which plates V are inserted and heldby. means of the clamp W and bolt X. In each plate V, a number of holes Y of suitable diameter are provided sufficient in size. and number to restrict the flow of air to the devaporizers E to the proper degree which may be determined by experiment. The plates V may be flanged as at Z and form a seal with the wall T, a suitable gasket being provided. The-plates V may be inserted in the apertures U by' removing the trap R whereupon they are readily accessible from the outside.

Thus by the above construction are accomplished among others the object hereinbefore referred to.

I claim:

1. A surface condenser having an inlet for vapor to be condensed and an outlet for air and non-condensable gases comprising steam condensing tubes having varying specific steam condensing capacity in vertical sections along. their length, means for dividing the condenser vertically into compartments of different specific steam condensing capacities, and means at said air outlet to throttle the passage of air therefrom and to maintain in said compartments degrees of vacuum proportionate to the steam condensing capacity thereof. I

2. A- surface condenser having a steam inlet and an outlet forair and non-condens- 3. A surface condenser having a steam inlet and an outlet for air and non-condensablega'ses comprising steam condensing tubes having varying specific steam con.- densing capacity hin vertical sections along their length, means ior dividing the condenser vertically into compartments of different steam condensingcapacities, a wall at said air outlet, and removable throttle plates in said wall through" which the air and non-condensable gases from the compartments are adapted to be drawn whereby different degrees of vacuum are maintained in said compartments corresponding to their steam condensing capacity.

4. A surface condenserhavmg aste'am inlet and an outlet for air and nonscondenjs-g able gases including steam condensin tubesextending transverse to the path 0 steam flow and having different steam condensing capacities along their length, a devaporizer attached to the condenser at the air outlet, means for dividing the condenser verticall 1 into compartments having varying specific steam condensing capacity, a wall interposed between said air outlet and said devaporizer, and perforated plates in said wall to throttle the escape of air to the devaporizer front said compartments, whereby a degree of vacuum may be maintained in each compartment suflicient to draw the steam to the lowermost bank of tubes there-.

5. A surface condenser having a steam inlet and an outlet for air and non-condensable gases including steam condensing tubes extending transverse to the path of steam flow and having different steam condensing capacities along their length, a devaporizer attached to the condenser at the air outlet, means for dividing the condenser vertically into compartments having varying specific steam condensing capacity, a wall interposed between said air outlet and said devaporizer, and removable perforated plates in said wall to throttle the escape of air to capacity in vertical sections along length, a devaporizcr at the air outlet, parthe' devaporizer from said compartments, whereby a degree of vacuum may be-maintained in each compartment suflicient to draw the steam to the lowermost bank of tubes therein.

(3. A surface condenser having a steam inlet, an outlet for condensate and an outlet for air and non-condensable gases, a plurality of steam condensing tubes arranged transverse to the path of steam flow and having varying specificsteam eonden'iing t1e1r titionsdividing the condenser into at least two compartments luwing diflcrent specific steam condensing capacity, said partitions dividing said air outlet, a wall at said outlet, and perforated plates in said wall to throttle the escape of air to said devapor izer, whereby dill'erent degrees of vacuum may be maintained in said compartments corresponding to their steam condensing capacity.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification.

JOHN F. KIRGAN- 

